112 - Swaying Emotions
Deep within the Forest of Bewilderment. The person brought to the place where Ray once lived with Kamiira and the others was the demon woman Ray had liberated. For her weakened body, the journey must have been quite grueling, yet she had come this far without a single complaint.
It was not that she was patient. During the journey, far from complaining, she had barely uttered a word. Because of her demeanor, her companions had hesitated to speak to her. Though she had resolved to live trusting Ray, that did not mean the wounds in her heart had healed.
"Welcome to my home."
The one who greeted the woman brightly was Kai.
"...Who are you?"
"I'm Kai. As you can see, I'm of the Vampio race and the master of this house... I suppose you could say that?"
It wasn't as if anyone else lived here. However, Kai felt that Ray, who had used this place as a base for so long, was more suited to be called the master. That was something irrelevant to the woman.
"You'll be staying here for a while. The plan is to return to Nordende once your health has recovered."
Regarding the travel to the Forest of Bewilderment, safety on the road had been ensured by receiving support from the Head of Intelligence's organization. However, the support ended here. They would have to travel to Nordende on their own.
"That's about all for now. All you have to do here is live leisurely. With that said, I'll show you to the house. Follow me."
Without worrying about the bewildered woman, Kai proceeded deeper inside. This was intentional. Pity could also wound a person. Thinking this, he tried to treat her as normally as possible—or at least, as normally as Kai thought normal was.
"This is the dining room. I've brought in plenty of food. That said, since I don't know how many people will increase here in the future, please don't be too greedy, okay?"
The dining room was tidy, just as it had been when Kai lived here. New tables and chairs had been provided. This was Ray's consideration for the women who were welcoming the start of a new life.
"Your room is here. It used to be my room."
"...Do you live here?"
A place not so far from the royal capital of the Laurel Kingdom. The woman was surprised to think that he lived in such a location.
"When I was a child. Not anymore."
"I see..."
"It's a single room for now, but eventually, it'll likely become a shared room. Please put up with that. Now, next."
Kai proceeded further inside. The woman following him stopped in front of a certain room. A door with iron bars. It reminded her of the room where she had been imprisoned.
"...That's Ray's room, so it's off-limits."
"...Ray?"
"Huh? Wasn't it Ray who went to rescue you?"
"The Demon King!?"
For the first time since being liberated, the woman raised her voice. She was shocked that Ray, the Demon King, lived in a room similar to the one where she had been imprisoned.
"Did he perhaps not introduce himself? This is the room where the Demon King Ray once lived."
"...Who are you?"
"Huh? I didn't imprison Ray. There were no other rooms, so this just became the one."
"Even so, what is your relationship with the Demon King?"
He lived with the Demon King. Even if he wasn't the Demon King at the time, Ray was human. The woman could not believe the fact that a demon and a human had lived together. The woman only thought Ray was human because she didn't know the circumstances, but even if she knew the truth, she would likely still be surprised.
"To me, Ray was a kind big brother. I still think of him as my brother-in-law now."
"Brother..."
"...I lived here with my mother and two older sisters. Then, one day, Ray suddenly wandered in."
"Ah... could it be that the family the Demon King killed...?"
As the conversation turned to her own story, she remembered what Ray had told her.
"...Are you listening? You won't give your own name, yet you're talking about that?"
"No, I had heard your name. I was just a bit surprised."
"I see. But why talk about my family? I don't think it's something Ray wants to talk about either."
"He told me in order to persuade me. That he didn't want to do the same thing again."
"I see... that's right. About my mother and my eldest sister. Ray killed my mother in this room. At my mother's request. Even though Ray loved my mother."
"What...?"
"Not affection toward a mother, but as a woman. Ray ended up killing the person he loved with his own hands."
"How could..."
Thinking of Ray's feelings now, the woman's chest tightened. He didn't want to do the same thing again. She realized the weight of those words.
"My sister loved Ray. Probably not as family, but as a man. Ray had to kill that sister as well. Ray continues to carry that as his own sin."
"............"
She had heard the story from Ray. But Kai's words pierced her heart far more than then. Her chest felt as if it would burst from the pain.
"If you still have the desire to die, I want you to think about it. Think about the family left behind. You were captured by humans and had terrible things done to you. I don't know that pain, as I have no such experience."
"............"
"But you know. I understand the feelings of the family left behind. No matter how painful it was, I wanted them to stay alive. Even if we couldn't meet, I wanted them to stay alive. I wonder if this is just my selfishness?"
"...No... it isn't."
The atmosphere Kai projected while speaking told her the depth of that sadness. If she were still in a state of being captured, she thinks she wouldn't have been able to accept these words. But now, she was a free person.
"Ray will save many people in the future. But I wonder if there is anyone who will save Ray? If possible, I want to be that person, but..."
"............"
"Sorry. This was a story that had nothing to do with you. Now, I'll guide you further in. The destination is actually beyond here."
Returning the atmosphere to a bright one, Kai proceeded further inside. Beyond that was a watering place. As before, clear water flowed there.
"Wash away your sweat here. I've left a change of clothes over there."
"Thank you very much."
"When you're finished, come to the dining room. We'll be waiting there. No one will come here until then, so feel free to take your time."
"...Yes."
He is being considerate of me. The woman took Kai's words that way. Even as a demon, she felt a slight resistance toward men. That was also one of the reasons she had been silent during the journey. The fact that the childlike Kai had come to attend to her might have been out of consideration for her feelings. Realizing this, the woman felt her chest warm slightly. She took off her clothes and stepped into the water.
"...It's cold, but it feels good."
The chilly sensation was pleasant. She moved further in, to a place where the water was deeper, and crouched there.
"............"
The flow of water enveloped her entire body. Even though she was doing nothing, she felt as if the filth was being washed away. Whether it was the filth of the body or the filth of the heart, she didn't quite know herself.
"...Ugh... ngh..."
Tears spilled over. This was the first time she had shed tears since being liberated. When she thought of that, she could no longer hold back her sobbing. Stopping her restraint, the woman began to cry out loud. She felt something that had been accumulated in her chest being released, if only a little.
◇◇◇
The office of the King of Laurel. The Head of Intelligence was visiting there. It was to report on the progress of the demon liberation. Progress was not the only thing to report. There were various other things he wanted to consult with the King about. The reason he had taken the King's time while still busy in the middle of his mission was, if anything, because of those consultations.
"So, how is the situation?"
"It is proceeding smoothly. Far from having any casualties, as far as I know, there hasn't even been a case where the intrusion was noticed."
"I see. Then there are no problems for now."
Things were proceeding smoothly. There was no possibility that the Kingdom's behind-the-scenes involvement had been noticed. For the King, this was not a joyful thing.
"There is a problem."
"Did something happen?"
"The efficiency is too high."
"...What is the problem with that?"
It was smooth because the efficiency was high. The King did not understand the Head of Intelligence's intent in calling that a problem.
"When I think about when that was used to intrude into this castle, it makes me worried."
"...Is it to that extent?"
The places being intruded upon were the estates of local lords. The royal castle had intrusion countermeasures that couldn't even be compared to those. However, the Head of Intelligence, who knew that, was saying it was a problem. The King could not disregard it.
"If it's caught by magic detection, I wouldn't view it as much of a problem. Well, setting aside the separate problem of whether it could be stopped if he tried to intrude by force."
"Couldn't be stopped? No, magic detection first. Is he intruding using magic?"
"Yes. He makes things disappear. There seem to be limits, but I couldn't elicit the details. I had the Kingdom's records searched, but no corresponding magic was found."
Ray's magic, nor anything similar to it, was recorded in the Laurel Kingdom's materials. It was magic that even the Vampio race did not know. It was natural, if one thought about it.
"...Why is that man like this? It would be better if he himself just disappeared."
Causing problem after problem and troubling him. To the King, Ray was that kind of existence.
"Regardless, I believe countermeasures should be considered. Though I do not know what kind of countermeasures should be taken."
"Whether that magic is caught by detection. First, we need to verify that. However..."
"Shall I bring it?"
A detection device was necessary when Ray used magic. That scene could only occur during the mission.
"That's true... he wouldn't notice, would he?"
"I cannot guarantee that. Since I have not grasped what kind of abilities he possesses."
"...Did he hide all of those abilities? Ah, come to think of it, there was a debate in the Mage Corps."
Thinking about Ray's abilities, the King remembered an event from quite a while ago. It was something he felt had remained in his head quite well, despite not having paid much attention to it at the time.
"What is that?"
"How he escaped the binding of the collar of subordination."
"...True."
"It seems it became a major issue in the Mage Corps, as it might be a serious flaw in the magic tool."
But for the King, who was not a magician, it was something that was pointless to think about.
"Speaking of which, I saw his sword."
"Sword? What about it?"
"It is likely a special sword. He himself called it the Demon Sword Kamui."
"Kamui... isn't that his alias? He was hiding such a thing?"
Kamui was the name Ray had initially given. The King had thought that he took it from that demon sword.
"It should have been revealed in later investigations that the alias was not something he named himself."
When it was revealed that Ray was an otherworlder, all of his words and actions were verified. That was one of the things discovered.
"...That was so. But... no, I see. He obtained that demon sword after the alias was given to him."
"That would be the case... I wonder if it really is a demon sword?"
The Head of Intelligence thought of one possibility. When did Ray have the opportunity to obtain it? This was the result of thinking about that.
"What do you mean?"
"It's just a guess, but I suspect the Holy Sword may have passed into his hands."
In the Holy Sword search, Ray had reached its location faster than anyone. The Head of Intelligence knew this.
"...I'm seriously getting a headache. If that's a fact, can we get it back?"
"There is no evidence. Besides, he found it. Does it not belong to him?"
Originally, it didn't belong to the Laurel Kingdom. That was what the Head of Intelligence thought.
"It's something he obtained during the mission."
The King believed that since Ray obtained it through work entrusted to him by the Laurel Kingdom, the ownership belonged to the Kingdom.
"He was nearly killed during that mission. If he claims that, what will you do?"
"...Enough. I didn't think I'd get it from the start."
"I understand."
It was small talk to distract him. Whether the King's mind was distracted was quite doubtful.
"Using an unknowable magic and even owning a demon sword. He is undoubtedly the Demon King. Not a Hero."
"He would likely admit that. Since it is we who want him to become a Hero."
"I don't think so."
"Is that your thought as the King?"
"Shut up!"
In other words, it was not a thought as the King, but an emotion as a father.
"Your Majesty. I speak this knowing I will be scolded. The Laurel Kingdom killed his family. Is the pain he feels because of that inferior to yours, Your Majesty?"
"............"
The King could not direct his anger at the Head of Intelligence. As a father, he resented Ray for hurting his daughter. However, regardless of whether it was appropriate to call them family, the one who caused the death of the people precious to Ray was the Laurel Kingdom, of which he was the King. That could not be denied.
"Why not try talking with him once more? I am not saying you should welcome him into this country. But perhaps you could consider... the feelings of Princess Ekaterina."
The Head of Intelligence knew Princess Ekaterina's feelings. He received reports on her daily words and actions from her monitors. Even if Princess Ekaterina intended to speak ambiguously to deceive, those who knew the circumstances could immediately tell she was talking about Ray.
"...That man doesn't think about Ekaterina's feelings at all."
"You have to verify that."
"I know without verifying! If Ekaterina were important, why did he become the Demon King!? There is no way a Demon King and the Princess of the Laurel Kingdom could be united!?"
The dissatisfaction that had been smoldering in his chest for a long time exploded here. As for Princess Ekaterina's feelings, the King had been thinking about them all along without being told. What was best for his daughter? Was there anything he could do for her? He had been agonizing over it. But Ray had made those thoughts meaningless. That was what the King believed.
"...I believe he has the feeling that he stepped back for the sake of the Princess."
"Even so... no, stop this conversation. It is already over."
"...I understand."
The King uttered words of resignation. But that didn't necessarily mean it would stay that way. The Head of Intelligence decided to end the conversation there for now.
"...Also, how much more time will it take?"
"I believe we can liberate everyone if we have half a month."
"I see... then, once that is finished, we will confirm the fulfillment of the conditions. With that, the promise is established."
"...Where will the confirmation be?"
The Head of Intelligence asked this to probe the King's intent in saying that.
"You cannot go to the forest in half a month. Prepare a place within the castle."
"I understand."
The answer was as the Head of Intelligence had guessed.
"Do not let him use that magic or whatever. It would be troublesome if the castle were made to disappear."
Furthermore, the King showed his intent to bring Ray here even more clearly than the words that supported the Head of Intelligence's thoughts.
"I understand."
What were those words from before? The Head of Intelligence thought that, not as a King but as a father, he was quite indecisive. Or perhaps it wasn't the King's own quality, but just how fathers are. If that were the case, there would likely be no great progress even if the two of them met and talked next. Because the time a father forgives the man who stole his daughter surely wouldn't come until the very end.